Consumer finance provider GE Capital has partnered with mobile network operator 2degrees to conduct an NFC payments pilot in New Zealand.

The three month trial is being run in collaboration with Gemalto and will enable participants to charge payments to their GE Capital credit card at any of 10,000 contactless terminals in the country, using a Samsung Galaxy S III NFC phone.

"As the largest non-bank lender in the country, we have a long and successful history of providing consumer finance across a broad range of partners," says GE Capital's Haydn Halls. "NFC represents an exciting shift in payment history, and we're proud to be involved in helping to deliver a world-class and highly secure solution."

"Our partnership with GE Capital is a great example of the increasing competition in the New Zealand personal finance market and further proof that innovation can come from non-traditional players," says 2degrees chief marketing officer Malcolm Phillipps. "GE Capital brings deep financial services knowledge and proven retail experience with a number of global retail brands, and we're delighted to be working with them."